Soccer practice net

ABSTRACT

A practice soccer goal comprising an outer frame including two horizontal support members, one at the top and one at the bottom of the practice goal, and two vertical support members, one on the right and one on the left of the practice goal, thereby forming a rectangular frame. The rectangular frame surrounds and supports a rectangular netting, the rectangular netting secured to the horizontal support members with a hook between each end of the horizontal support members and each corner of the horizontal corners rectangular netting. The rectangular netting is secured to the vertical support members with a hook between each end of the vertical support members and the vertical corners of the rectangular net. A vertical extension pole is adjustable in length and adapted to tension the netting in the vertical dimension enabling the net to be attached to the frame without the necessity of a ladder or other such accessory.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

None

INCORPORATION BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Soccer is a game played worldwide. Scoring occurs when a ball is kickedby an offensive player past an opposing defensive player, known as agoalie, attempting to prevent entry of the ball into a goal. When theoffensive player is unsuccessful, the defensive player often has merelyobstructed or deflected the inbound ball away from the face of the goal,thereby returning the ball to play. Typically, the defensive player'sattempt to prevent the offensive player from scoring a goal iseffective. The defensive player's occasional failures to prevent passageof the ball might be considered as allowing holes in goal coverage.These holes in goal coverage can be targeted and thereby exploited byexperienced offensive players.

The aspiring offensive soccer player can benefit from practicing andtraining in front of a goal. Such practicing and training promote morefrequent success in scoring goals by improving the offensive player'seffectiveness in kicking the soccer ball past the goalie and into thegoal by recognizing and exploiting holes in the goalie's defense of thegoal. Both novice players and more experienced players can benefit frompracticing and training with a static simulation incorporatingreproducible and repeatable defensive targets.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A practice goal is disclosed that is capable of mounting to the insideof a standard soccer goal frame allowing a participant to kick a soccerball towards the net thereby improving their soccer skills. Normallythese frames are 8 feet high and 24 feet wide. The soccer net isattached to a soccer frame with uniquely designed removable cornerhooks, top hooks, as well as Velcro® adjustable straps.

The net is attached to the side posts using detachable and adjustableVelcro® straps that allow for different tension settings, frommoderately loose to tight, to control the rebound of the ball. The netis provided with design patterns to assist the athlete in targetingdifferent areas of the net. This further assists the athlete by creatingimages in their mind through visualization of those patterns whenrepeatedly kicking the ball when using various skill exercises.

An adjustable vertical pole is utilized enabling the user to attach thenet precluding the necessity of a step device or ladder to place the neton the frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the practice net assembled with the netting (3) tensionedbetween the tubular frame (2).

FIG. 2 shows hooks (4) and (5) that are used to secure netting (3) tothe tubular frame (2).

FIG. 3 shows adjustable vertical extension pole (17).

FIG. 3A shows the top of vertical extension pole (17).

FIG. 4 shows the Velcro® side strap member (9) in detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is a soccer practice goal (1)comprising outer frame (2) that encloses and supports netting (3).Although FIG. 1 shows only the top, left hand side of the soccerpractice goal, it is understood that the unseen three corners areidentical and symmetric about the vertical and horizontal axis. Theframe (2) could be any size, but a frame that is 8 feet high and 24 feetwide is the existing standard. In the preferred embodiment outer frame(2) is comprised of tubular members of circular cross-section, althoughother cross-sectional shapes are considered to be within the scope ofinvention. Normally outer frame (2) is hollow to reduce weight, butsolid members are within the scope of the invention. Hooks (4) and (5)are provided at each of the two top corners and two bottom corners, thehooks (4) and (5) securing netting (3) to outer frame (2). Outer frame(2) comprises two vertical frame members (6) and two horizontal framemembers (7), connected to form a rectangular frame. Any conventionalmethod of connection between the vertical support members (6) horizontalsupport members (7) is within the scope of the invention. Further, theouter frame (2) could be made one-piece. Alternately either the verticalsupport members (6) or the horizontal support members (7) are bent at 90degrees, and the other of the vertical support members (6) or thehorizontal support members (7) register and interfit to form therectangular outer frame (2). Such tubular interfitting members areconventionally used to assemble tubular frames, as with common tentframes. A tubular frame member (2) provided in several pieces isconvenient to both store and transport.

Corner hooks (4) secure netting (3) to top and bottom of verticalsupport members (6) and corner hooks (5) secure netting (3) to left andright of horizontal support members (7). Additionally, at least one hook(8) secures netting (3) to the center of upper horizontal support member(7) and at least one hook (8) secures netting (3) to the center of lowerhorizontal support member (7). Although FIG. 1 shows one hook (8), anynumber of hooks (8) can be utilized as desired. As seen in FIG. 1,including the three unseen symmetric corners, there are a total of tenhooks securing the netting (3) to the tubular frame (2). Further, atleast two micro hook and loop Velcro® fasteners (9) are provided tosecure netting (3) to each of the two vertical support members (6), onefastener (9) on each of the two vertical support members (6). Again,although two Velcro® fasteners are shown in FIG. 1, any number ofVelcro® fasteners (9) can be used. As seen in FIG. 1, Velcro® fasteners(9) are located on the centers of vertical support members (6). Velcrofasteners (9) also serve the purpose of tensioning netting (3) withinouter frame (2) assuring that netting (3) remains snug within outerframe (2), also allowing easy and rapid set-up and when adjusting asrequired during practice sessions. With the fasteners and hooks arrangedin this fashion, the practice net is symmetrical about both a verticaland horizontal centerline, thereby equalizing and uniformly distributingany mechanical stresses throughout the practice net.

Referring to FIG. 2, corner hook (4) includes a channel (10) forattaching the outer peripheral rope border (11) of netting (3). Cornerhook (5) is identical to corner hook (4) and need not be described orshown separately. Preferably border rope (11) of netting (3) is abraided rope section to which the soccer goal netting is secured. Asbest seen in FIG. 2, channel (10) is dimensioned to surround border rope(11) more than 270 degrees but less than 360 degrees. On the oppositeend of hook (4) a semi-circular segment (12) is provided that is adaptedto snap over horizontal support members (6) and vertical support members(7). Semi-circular segment (12) curves approximately 180 degrees or morearound the end of hooks (4) and (5). As seen in FIG. 1, hook (4) isaligned at 90 degrees from hook (5); hook (4) is thereby adapted toconnect to vertical support members (6) and hook (5) is adapted toconnect to horizontal support member (7). Border rope (11) is formed ina right angle at the four corners of net (3). Hooks (4) and (5) arelocated near the corners of net (3) such that hook (4) faces verticalsupport member (6) and hook (5) faces horizontal support member (7). Atriangular reinforcement member (20) bridges inside of the right anglesat the four corners of border rope (11) to strengthen the border rope(11) and maintain a solid 90 degree corner of border rope (11).Preferably corner reinforcement member (20) is secured within two hollowtubes (21), the two tubes forming a right angle, where border rope (11)extends through hollow tubes (21). Additionally, all the hooks areprovided with cut-outs where the netting perpendicularly crosses theborder rope (11).

Referring to FIG. 3, vertical extension pole (17) is shown in greaterdetail. Vertical extension pole (17) is used to assist in the attachmentof net (3) to horizontal support member (7). The top of verticalextension pole (17), seen in FIG. 3A, is provided with an outwardlyflaring flange member (18). As seen in FIG. 3A, a channel (19) extendsacross the top of flange member (18). Because the frame member isnormally 8 feet high, extension pole (17) facilitates assembly of thenet (3) to frame (2) without the need of a ladder or other such means.

An important feature of the invention is the telescoping nature ofvertical extension pole (17). In use, the netting (3) is attached to thetwo vertical support members (6) with hooks (4) and the lower horizontalsupport member (7) with hooks (5). Side straps (9) can be secured atthis time as well, or later as desired. Next vertical extension pole(17) is used to push the top horizontal portion of rope (11) upwardly,tightening the net (3). The rope (11) is then attached to the tophorizontal support member (7) utilizing hooks (5). Velcro® straps (9),if not previously attached, can next be attached or adjusted ifpreviously attached.

Adjustable sleeves (13) are provided in the center of vertical extensionpole (17). The purpose of adjustable sleeve (13) is two-fold. First,adjustable sleeve (13) allows vertical extension pole (17) to becompactly stored and transported. Second, the adjustable length ofvertical pole (17) enables easy assembly of practice goal (1) withoutthe necessity of a ladder or other means to reach the top horizontalsupport member (7). Obviously another advantage of extendable pole (17)is that extendable pole (17) allows rapid adjustment of net (3), such aswhen net (3) needs to be tightened due to loosening or stretching duringsoccer practice.

Adjustable sleeves (13) incorporate conventional telescoping functionsas are commonly used in such devices as extendable tent poles or boathooks, and are well known in these arts. The tubes are rotated andreleased to allow telescoping to the desired length, then rotated in theopposite direction to lock the inside and outside tubes and preventrelative sliding between the telescoping sections.

FIG. 4 shows Velcro® fastener (9) in detail. Velcro® fastener (9) isconstructed from a single piece of fabric with micro hooks (14) on theinside one terminal end of the fabric and micro loops (15) on the insideof the opposite terminal end. Fastening means (16), such as a stud orscrew and bolt bifurcate the fabric strip forming a channel throughwhich the vertical support member (6) extends. Velco® type fasteningalso allows easy tightening of the net should the net loosen during use.

Conveniently the net (3) is provided with design patterns shown aspatterns. Patterns can be any suitable figure, for example a stoopedgoalie. The purpose of design patterns is to give the participant anobject to visualize and focus upon while practicing. Hooks can be usedto secure the figures to the net, or Velcro® fasteners couldconveniently utilized.

1. The combination of a practice soccer goal and an extension pole, thepractice soccer goal comprising a rectangular outer frame including twohorizontal support members, the horizontal support members comprising atop horizontal support member and a bottom horizontal support member,and two vertical support members, the two vertical support memberscomprising a right vertical support member and a left vertical supportmember, thereby forming the rectangular outer frame, the rectangularouter frame surrounding and supporting a rectangular netting, therectangular netting secured to the horizontal and vertical supportmembers the rectangular netting surrounded with a border rope, whereinthe rectangular netting is secured to the rectangular outer frame withhooks connecting the border rope to the horizontal and vertical supportmembers the extension pole comprising telescoping tubes that can belocked at different lengths, wherein the extension pole can be used totighten the rectangular net within the outer rectangular frame withoutthe need of a ladder.
 2. The practice goal and extension pole of claim 1wherein the vertical and horizontal support members are hollow tubularmembers.
 3. The practice goal and extension pole of claim 2 wherein thevertical or horizontal support members bend at ninety degrees formingfour corners, and the two horizontal support members register andinterfit with the two vertical support members at the corners to formthe rectangular outer frame.
 4. The practice goal and extension pole ofclaim 3 wherein the hooks include corner hooks to secure the netting tothe four corners of the rectangular outer rectangular frame.
 5. Thepractice goal and extension pole of claim 4 including at least twoadditional hooks, adapted to secure the rectangular netting to each ofthe two horizontal support members, and further including at least twomicro hook and loop fasteners provided to secure the rectangular nettingto each of the two vertical support members for the purpose oftensioning the rectangular netting within the rectangular outer frameand assuring that the rectangular netting remains snug within therectangular outer frame.
 6. The practice goal and extension pole ofclaim 4 wherein the corner hooks include a channel on one end forattaching the border rope of the rectangular netting, the channeldimensioned to surround the border rope by more than 270 degrees butless than 360 degrees, and on an opposite end of the corner hook asemi-circular segment that is adapted to snap over both the upper andlower horizontal support members.
 7. The practice goal and extensionpole of claim 1 including a triangular reinforcement member to bridgethe inside of the right angles at the four corners, the triangularreinforcement member including hollow tubes through which the borderrope extends to strengthen the border rope and maintain a solid 90degree corner of border rope.
 8. The practice goal and extension pole ofclaim 1 wherein the extension pole has an adjustable length and acenter, the extension pole comprising adjustable sleeves provided in thecenter of the extension pole, to allow the extension pole to becompactly stored and transported, as well as to adjust the length of theextension pole, to enable assembly of the practice goal without thenecessity of a ladder or other means to reach the top horizontal supportmember.
 9. The practice goal and extension pole of claim 8 wherein theadjustable sleeves telescope and lock together at a desired length.